Traction device



May 26, 1925. I 1,539,582

J. A. L ANDRY TRACTION DEVICE Filed April 19. 1924 ',2- sheets-sheet 1 Inventr Bym E g Attorney May 26, 1925. 1,539,582

J. A. LANDRY TRACTI ON DEVICE Filed April 19. 1924 2 Sheets-sheet .2

Inventor By m Patented May 26, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

Josera Damiaan Lunar, or uom* JOLI, arianne, emana.

morren na'vrcn. i

appuomcn ma april 19, um. semi Ain. 107,782.

To all whom t ma concern.'

Be it known t at 4I, JOSEPH ADALBERT LANDRY, a subject of ther Kin of Great Britain, residing at Mont Joli, rovince of Quebec, Canada, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Traction Devices; and I do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the'art to which it appertains to make and use the same. A The presentl invention pertains to traction devlces and consists of 1mprovements on the devices comprising the subject matter of my United States application No. 682,565,

filed December 24th, 1923, and Canadian apnumber of spacedblocks at its inner surface,

and these` spokes are so arran ed as to re`; ceive the heads of the rear w eel therebetween and to -pass between thespaced devices provided on the forward wheel. In this manner the tread member is positively actuated by the rear wheels but has no locking engagement with the forward wheels as a'- consequence of which the movement of the tread member is unobstructed.

A further feature of the invention is the disposition of a number of guide rollers enga 'ng the lower lip of the tread member an disposed between the forward and rear wheels. These rollers occur in pairs, each pair being pivotally carried by a relatively small spring, which is ivotally attached to an auxlli'ary s ring, w ich in turn is connected to the a ve mentioned main spring a between the axles. The object of this construction is to hold the four, rollers in constant contact with the tread' member, which willifollow the inequalities of the road surface, and render complete traction at all times. The manner in which this object is accomplished by the disclosed device is pointed out below. l

'The invention is fully disclosed in the folseen from lowing description and in the accompanying l drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an automobile equipped w-ith the invention; I Figure 2 is /a fragmentary longitudinal section of the device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Figure 3 is a section onthe line 3-3 of Fi .re 2;4

1 re Fi l 2;

igure 5 is a is a section on the line of perspective viewl of the Figure 6. is a detail elevation ofthe device;

and,

Figure 'ifl is a plan view thereof applied to an automobile.

Reference will now be had to these views.

by means of like characterswhich are em p oyed'to designate corresponding parts throughout. The numeral 1 `indicates the body offan automobile of any desired construction mounted Iupon a lchassis or frame 2 shown inv Figures`6 and 7. At the rear end of the frame is provided a rear axle. 3 driven from a transmission shaft 4 in the usual manner. On vthe ends of'the axle are mounted wheels indicated in general by the numeral 5. Since the two wheels are identical, a description of one will suice; andl the same Imethod of description will prevail since both sides of the entire structure are similar.

The rear wheel 5 comprises a hub 6 from which' radiate a plurality of spokes .7. The Aouter l-end of each spoke carries a head 8 from the sides of which extend a pair of win 9. The wingsat each side of the hea s areengaged by bands 10 thus forming a com aratively wide wheel as may be igure 7. The bands are spaced from each other in order to permit passage of snow therebetween. i

The main spring 11 extends forwardly from the axle 3,"the rear e'nd of the spring `bein secured to the axle b means of a clip 12. e forward end of t e ring carries ya bracket bearing 13 attach Y .thereto by spring 11. By means of these screw devices the osition of the brackets withreference to t e main springs may be varled, whereby the distance between the intermediate shaft 18 and rear axle 3 is likewise adjusted.

Each end of the intermediate shaft 18 carries a forward wheel comprising a hub 21 from which extend a plurality of radial spokes 22. Each spoke carries at its outer end' a collar 23 rovidedwith a pau' of lateral wings 24 e evatedv with respect to the collar aswill be shown in Figure 3. The wings are lsurrounded by bands 25, 1n the same manner as the construction descrlbed in connection with Figure4.

The forward and -rear -wheels at each side of the deviceare surrounded by a tread member the body of which is a belt of rubber or similar resilient material. The inner surface of the belt 26 carries a plurality of blocks 27 ,-;-the ends of which are inclinedI inwardly as indicated by the numeral 28 to form substantiall V-shaped spaces 29. In the movement o the tread lmember with the wheels, these spaces re- Vceive the heads 8 of the rear wheels and enter the Spaces 29 between the wings 24 ofthe forward wheels as clearly shown in Figure 3. The outer surface of the belt is provided 'with a plurality of V-shaped gripping members 30 which ymay consist of canvas or other suitable material.

The main springs 11 are further attached to the chassis 2 by means of brackets 31 extending laterally from the sides of the latter and carr'lng suspension links 32 pivotally connecte to the springs, as shown inv Figure 6. Beneath each spring 11 is provided an auxilia sprin 33 connected thereto by means'o Y piv devices 34 at the ends. Across the backs of the springs 33 is disposed a cross bar 35 which serves to su rt pivotally smaller springs 36 at its en s.

ach smaller. ring 36 has pivoted to both ends thereof rro 1er carrying springs 37. At

the ends of the latter are journaled auxiliary rollers 38 which engage the lower lip of the tread vbelt as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 6. l. Due to the presence of the springs 36 and the fact' that two rollers'are carried at the end of each spring, it is assured that the four rollers will be in spring pressed i engagement with the tread member regardless of the position of the members 37 with respect to t eir pivot points'. There is thus provided an arrangement whichis automatically adjusted and compensated for all@ I wheels are removed, and sprin irregularities or obstructions existing in the road bed traversed by the'` device.

At the forward end o f the' vehicle, the 39 are `maintained between the goosenec 40A and links 41 depending from thesides of the Aframe. To the .backsof the springs 39 are vin the details of construction may be made springs connected to the ends of said smaller attached runners'42 as shown in Fil 1.

f While a specific embodiment ofthe invention has been illustrated and'described, it, is to be understood that various alterations without departin from the spirit of the invention as indlcated by the appended claims. y

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new and 'desire vto protect by Letters Patent is 1. A traction device comprising ,in combination with a pair of axles, springs connecting said axles, wheels mounted on the ends of saidv axles, wheels on the rear axle comprising a hub and a plurality of spokes, heads carried at the free ends of said wings extendin from said heads, ds surrounding sai wings, and a tread devies passed around said forward and rear wheels and adapsted forjlocking engagement with said hea 2. A traction device comprising in combination with a pair of axles, springs connecting said axles, forwardwheels carried at the ends of one of said axles, rear wheels carried at the ends of the remaining axl each of said wheels com rising aphub an 1 a plurality 1of 'spokes atin therefrom heads carried at the ends of `e spokes-of the rear wheels,` tread members around said forward and rear wheels spaced blocks carried by said members and i adapted for locking engagementwith said heads, spaced wings carriedby the spokes kes,

leo

of the forward wheels and adapted for the passage ofsaid blocks therebetween.

3. traction device comprising in combination with a pair of axles, ,springs connecting said axles, one of said axles carry- 1ng forward wheels at its ends and the rema-imng axle carrying rear WheelsA at its` ends, each of said wheels com rising a hub and a plurality of spokes ra 'ating therefrom, heads carried lat the ends of the' spokes of the rear wheel, wings extending laterally fr om said heads, bands surrounding said wings, spaced wings extending from the ends of `the hubs of the forward wheels, bands surroundin said wings, a tread -belt passed around sai forward and rear wheels, l spaced blocks .carried at the inner surface of said belt and adapted to receive said heads therebetween, said blocks be' adaptedfor p y: between the wings o the forward wheels. y

4.. A traction-device comprising in oombination with a pair of axles, maln sprin connectingsaid axles,w heels carried b axles, tread members passed aroun wheels, auxiliary sprin suspended from said main springs, .sma er springs carried by said auxiliary springs, roller-ca springs, and rollers -journsled to the of said roller carrying springs and engagsmaller springs, and rollers journaled to the ing said tread members. ends of said roller carrying springs and en- 5. A traction device comprising in comgaging-said tread members. bination with a pair of axles, mam springs In witness whereof I have hereunto set 5 connecting said axles, wheels carried by my hand;

said axles, tread members passed around said wheels, `auxiliary springs .suspended .JOSEPH APALBERT LA .NDRY. from said main springs, smaller springs car- Wltnesses: ried by said auxiliary springs, roller carry- AUGUSTE Ror,

10 ing springs pivoted to the ends of said J. Hmml BrLANGm. 

